In the Zone: The 2013 NFL Draft

Who is your favorite team going to pick?

The Lions have a great young nucleus on the interior of their defensive line with Suh and Nick Fairley, but after cutting Kyle Vanden Bosch and letting Cliff Avril leave for free agency to Seattle, Detroit needs to find the third most premium position in the NFL: pass rusher.

Ansah has more upside than any player in this draft. Simply put, the Ghana native is a freak of nature.

He is by no means a finished or sure-fire prospect, but he’s worth the gamble. The New York Giants are extremely happy they took a similar gamble on Jason Pierre-Paul a few years ago, aren’t they?

6) ***Trade*** ATLANTA FALCONS select Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama

It worked so well the first time, why not do it again?

Two years ago, Atlanta – coveting an elite wide receiver – traded up from No. 27 to No. 6 in the draft to take Julio Jones from Alabama. I’d say that worked out fairly well.

This year, the Falcons will trade up from No. 30 to No. 6 to grab another elite prospect from the Nick Saban Academy of College Football.

he Falcons are in “win NOW” mode. The window is open. There are virtually no holes on this roster, but cornerback – after losing Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes this offeseason – is an area that can certainly be upgraded. Milliner is the best cornerback in this draft by a good margin, and GM Thomas Dimitroff will give up whatever is necessary to get the player he covets.

7) ARIZONA CARDINALS select Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

The Arizona Cardinals are mildly surprised to see Smith, who some believe is the best QB prospect in this draft class, fall to No. 7, especially since a QB has already come off the board. New head coach Bruce Arians is happy he did, though.

Despite bringing in Carson Palmer, the long-term future is not set at the most important position on the field in Arizona.

Just like Manuel, Smith doesn’t have to come in and start immediately. Don’t underestimate, despite what we’ve seen recently from first year starting quarterbacks, the value of learning the game for a year or two before being thrown into the fire.

8) BUFFALO BILLS select Matt Barkley, QB, USC

What?!?! You mean to tell me former Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone isn’t going to take the guy he coached in college? The same guy who came to Faurot Field and engineered a win over the Missouri Tigers? Get outta here!!!

I wouldn’t be surprised if Ryan Nassib ends up being the pick here, but let’s be honest. Barkley is the better prospect. If he came out last year, he likely would have been picked in the top-5 right behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.

Barkley had an awful senior season, but I’m of the school-of-thought that pretty much anything not named Marquise Lee that comes in contact with Lane Kiffin is immediately infected with some sort of toxin. Barkley should have gotten away from that guy as soon as he could.

9) NEW YORK JETS select Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon

Some may be surprised that I don’t have the Jets going after a quarterback here to replace Mark Sanchez, but for some reason I think the Jets are not giving up on The Sanchize. In that vain, Nassib would make sense here, but I firmly believe this organization is going to get back to what, once, made them very formidable: defense.

The Jets need a pass-rusher, and Dion Jordan has pass-rushing potential in spades whether he has his hand in the dirt or not.

Rex Ryan loves edge rushers for his scheme, and Jordan is one of the best in this draft. In fact, he very well could be the next Aldon Smith.

10) TENNESSEE TITANS select Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida

The Titans need help on the intereior of the defensive line so don’t be surprised if Mizzou’s Sheldon Richardson hears his name called here. I personally think Richardson is the better player, but most in the scouting community seem to side with the former Florida Gator.

Floyd and Richardson, in fact, are very similar players. Both are disruptive 3-technique penetrators with elite athleticism for their size and position.

11) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS select Lane Johnson, LT, Oklahoma

The Chargers are elated to see the third-ranked left tackle fall to their laps at No. 11.

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